This solution involves EAL teachers at HYS in providing training to homeroom teachers in EAL instruction, in order to further ELLs’ learning in their mainstream classrooms. According to Brown (2005), in the absence of teacher training in EAL, “ELLs who are culturally and
speaking counterparts” (p. 255). Brown (2005) presents two types of EAL teacher consultation, indirect and direct. With indirect consultation, EAL teachers train homeroom teachers without working directly with ELLs, whereas with direct consultation EAL teachers work in partnership with homeroom teachers to provide instruction to ELLs (Brown, 2005). While, each of these consultation types is effective, applying both types of consultation at HYS is optimal.
Direct consultation at HYS will involve co-teaching, which constitutes a collaborative partnership between the EAL and the homeroom teacher, with both teachers involved in planning and instruction. This entails a shift in practice at HYS, where EAL pull-out servicing continues to be employed. With this change in practice, ELLs will receive language instruction in their homeroom classrooms.According to Dove and Honigsfeld (2010) “…fragmented special service delivery, frequent interruptions for pull-out services, and the social isolation that some ELLs experience can be detrimental” (p. 9). Furthermore, Honigsfeld and Dove (2008) purport that through co-teaching in the mainstream setting, ELLs can benefit from the language modeling that is offered by their English-speaking peers. Through implementing inclusive EAL servicing at HYS, ELLs will have the opportunity to learn alongside their peers and to engage in the same learning experiences. Moreover, Peercy and Martin-Beltran (2012) highlight the connection between EAL instructional partnerships and the sociocultural theory, due to the interactive nature of the collaboration and the social context in which it is famed. Through a sociocultural lens, co- teaching is viewed as a “…social construction of the teaching relationship” (Peercy & Martin- Beltran, 2012, p. 659). Effective collaboration lies at the heart of co-teaching. Therefore, employing Davison’s (2006) model for assessing co-teaching collaboration, described in the Critical Organizational Analysis section in this chapter, will assist me to lead the EAL servicing change by identifying areas of needed growth and supporting collaborative partnerships.
Resources. HYS’ EAL faculty can be utilized to lead EAL collaborative partnerships, as they are well versed in stages of language acquisition and EAL instructional practices. HYS can benefit from their expertise through direct and in-direct consultation with homeroom teachers. EAL teachers can be assigned to work with their grade level’s homeroom teachers. Due to belonging to the same grade level team and sharing the same instructional schedule with
common planning times, no additional time or alternative scheduling is needed to support these collaborations. Thereby, this solution does not have budgetary impacts.
Benefits and Consequences. This solution can be readily implemented without requiring additional release time and it does not entail any financial implications. Due to the time
commitment involved in EAL collaborative partnerships and having one EAL teacher assigned to several homeroom classes at each grade level, not all homeroom teachers can be engaged in EAL collaborative partnerships in the same school year. In order to maximize the effectiveness of these collaborative partnerships, EAL faculty can be assigned to designated homeroom classrooms, whereby half a grade level at a time is involved in collaborative partnerships. This will enable EAL faculty to work with a manageable number of homeroom teachers to provide ongoing training and classroom based scaffolding, within the scope of their regular instructional schedules. With this solution, HYS can continue to accept ELLs and to service them within the mainstream setting without having to expand its EAL staffing. Thereby, the lack of budgetary implications to support EAL collaborative partnerships presents as a significant benefit for HYS. Solution 3: ELL Parent Home/School Engagement Program
This solution is proposed to increase ELLs’ parent involvement at HYS, with the goal of supporting their children’s English language acquisition and heritage language maintenance. ELL parent sessions can be held regularly at HYS, in order to assist ELL parents to support their
children’s English learning. According to Panferov (2010), through parent education, schools can effectively “…promote information about the home language, in order to continue to support home language literacy and minimize subtractive bilingualism” (p. 111). Additionally HYS can further ELLs’ parent involvement by providing home support materials, which can be applied to English or the heritage language (Dixon, Zhao, Shin, Wu, Su, Burgess-Brigham & . . . Snow, 2012). School involvement can also be increased by encouraging ELL parents to share library experiences with their children and to engage them in participating in after school activities to increase their interactions with English-speakers (Dixon et al., 2012).
Integrating ELLs’ parents can assist HYS to benefit from their collective cultural wealth. “Schools can benefit from the rich cultural artifacts, such as folk tales, myths, legends, and family stories, to form an integral aspect of the curriculum for ELLs” (Necochea & Cline, 2000, p. 323). Furthermore, “…opportunities for parents to engage in sharing their home cultures and their own expertise transfers a positive attitude to ELL children about their first language and learning experiences” (Panferov, 2010, p. 111). ELL parent involvement, through a home/school engagement program, can positively impact English language acquisition, the advancement of cultural understandings, and also linguistic and cultural inclusion within HYS. To this end, I will conduct ELL parent sessions to encourage participation in English and heritage language
development information sessions and to highlight the importance of home/school engagement. Moreover, with the goal of increasing linguistic and cultural inclusion at HYS, I will work with faculty to integrate ELL parents in linguistically and culturally focused classroom events.
Resources. EAL teachers are the primary resource in this solution. EAL teachers can conduct ELL parent information sessions about English and heritage language development, thereby no external support will be required for this solution. These sessions can be held on a
grade level basis, whereby each grade level’s EAL teacher can work directly with ELL parents from that grade level. These sessions can be scheduled during the instructional day, thereby limiting EAL teachers’ additional after school engagement. Learning materials for ELL parent home support can be furnished through HYS, at no additional cost, using book room and library resources and EAL instructional materials on a check-out basis. ELL parents are also an essential resource, as they can support the advancement of linguistic and cultural inclusion at HYS.
Homeroom teachers can further engage ELL parents by inviting them to participate in culturally focused activities, where they can share information about their culture with the class.
Benefits and Consequences. This solution does not have financial implications as it can be implemented using HYS’s existing resources. Parent maintenance of heritage languages on the home front can support ELLs’ English acquisition, which will enhance HYS’ efforts with EAL instruction and ELLs’ English language growth. Moreover, through parent engagement in this program, there will be further integration of linguistic and cultural diversity at HYS by incorporating ELLs’ parents in classroom based, diversity focused learning experiences. With this being said, based on HYS’limited control over parents’ involvement and English or heritage language support on the home front, this solution may not yield the desired results and should therefore be considered as complementary to another solution. Depending solely on this solution cannot guarantee that there will be an improvement in ELLs’ learning experiences at HYS. Chosen Solution to Address the PoP
While the proposed solutions are all applicable to addressing the PoP, attending to them all will be a considerable undertaking on the part of HYS. A combination of Solution 1A, pertaining to professional learning in international mindedness and linguistic and cultural inclusion, and Solution 2, involving training in EAL collaborative partnerships, will provide a
comprehensive solution to the PoP. Solutions 1A and 2 are complementary to each other, and if addressed within the scope of one solution can help HYS achieve the desired state. Executing Solutions 1A and 2 consecutively will be financially feasible, as the cost associated with
Solution 1, approximately $21,000-25,000 to fund an external consultant, can be accommodated within HYS’ professional learning budget. Moreover, Solution 1 involves the use of one release day, which falls within HYS’ two release day allocation for professional learning, thereby not requiring budgetary approval. Additionally, there are no costs for Solution 2, as HYS’ EAL teachers are the primary resource, making this solution viable for implementation at HYS.
It is essential that there be a strong focus on solution 1A, in order to provide the
foundational learning about international mindedness and linguistic and cultural inclusion, which is necessary to ensure that a shared commitment is upheld by all faculty and staffand reinforced in all curricular areas. In turn, Solution 2 is essential as it involves professional learning in EAL and homeroom teacher collaboration, which is needed in order to implement EAL inclusive practices. A professional development plan, framed around these areas, developed in conjunction with the DCI, can be readily implemented at HYS. This will be aligned to a school goal of improving ELLs’ learning experiences and will comprise the professional learning focus for the whole year. These two focal areas of professional learning are interconnected with their focus on inclusion and can be readily implemented simultaneously, within the same time frame.
Superintendent approval will be based on ELL achievement data and justification for the necessity of the change. Moreover, this goal will be supported based on leadership team concerns about ELLs’ learning experiences being an area of needed growth. Advancing this goal will entail garnering support from faculty and staff by sharing information about what the change entails and the professional learning involved, and framing it in the context of faculty and staff’s
concerns about ELLs’ learning experiences. Furthermore, I will seek to garner their support by highlighting the applicability of the professional learning associated with solutions 1A and 2, to the need for professional learning they identified in their feedback and in Endicott survey data.
This chosen solution, when implemented through my Internationally Minded Leadership Model and framed around my blended change framework, has the potential of achieving the desired future state at HYS. With this being said, the ethical leadership implications of this change must be carefully examined as addressed in the following section.
Leadership Ethics and Organizational Change Issues
This PoP has significant ethical implications as it is centered around improving the learning experiences of ELLs through inclusive practices. Furthermore, the ethical stance is highlighted through this OIP’s critical theory lens, which is focused on “… prioritizing values such as equality, freedom, and social justice” (Crookes, 2015, p. 486). This in addition to the critical theory’s aim of addressing inequities by “…problematizing practice…” (Crookes, 2015, p. 486), which in HYS’ case pertains to the lack of ELLs’ linguistic and cultural inclusion. In turn, ethical considerations are instrumental to my Internationally Minded Leadership Model, as it is framed around leadership practices aimed at promoting inclusion. Theoharis and O’Toole (2011) describe this leadership conviction as “Taking up the charge of ensuring equitable and excellent education for ELLs…” (p. 648). It is leaders’ ethical responsibility to “…address the racial, cultural and ethnic makeup of the school community and provide the knowledge to improve equity and equal opportunities for all students…” (Miller & Martin, 2015, p. 147).
Bass and Steidlmeier (1999) frame leadership ethics around the three components of “(1) the moral character of the leader; (2) the ethical legitimacy of the values embedded in the
choice and action that leaders and followers engage in and collectively pursue” (p. 182). These components are of relevance to my Internationally Minded Leadership Model and its associated transformational and inclusive leadership practices. In transformational leadership “…the
processes of vision articulation and choice are matters of moral concern…” (Bass & Steidlmeier, 1999, p. 186). Transformation leaders engage in “…the moral uplifting of their followers, in the sharing of mutually rewarding visions of success, and in enabling and empowering them to convert the visions into realities…” (Bass & Steidlmeier, 1999, p. 211). Transformational leaders are also responsible for “…providing a model of high ethical behavior…” (Leithwood & Sun, 2012, p. 400). Inclusive leadership is also relevant due to its focus on social justice and equity as foundational to inclusive practice (Ryan, 2006). This in addition to inclusive leaders advancing “…an equity-oriented vision for educating ELLs…” (Theoharis & O’Toole, 2011, p. 680).
Leadership ethics are all the more pertinent when the vision is framed around an ethically grounded issue such as inclusion. According to Bass and Steidlmeier (1999) “…transformational leaders, as moral agents, expand the domain of effective freedom, the horizon of conscience and the scope for altruistic intention” (p. 211). This translates into leaders promoting social justice relative to equity within a school context (Talbert-Johnson, 2009). Leadership for inclusion that is focused on “…ensuring equitable and excellent education for ELLs is an essential component of social justice…” (Theoharis & O’Toole, 2011, p. 648). Ethical leadership framed around social justice is based on the principle that ELLs should be regarded “…as an essential part of a school community that is purposefully designed to accept and embrace diversity as a strength, not a weakness” (Theoharis & O’Toole, 2011, p. 649). Thereby, through implementing an inclusive EAL servicing model, leaders can ensure that ethical provisions are in place for ELLs. Moreover, in order to advance a commitment to ethical practice relative to ELLs, it is important
that I as a leader exhibit ethical behaviors that support linguistic and cultural inclusion. Philipp and Lopez (2013) state that “…leaders who display ethical behaviors promote an ethical work environment by modeling and encouraging ethical behavior among their followers” (p. 307).
Furthermore, it is essential that there is a strong focus on faculty and staff in order to ensure that their needs are being met during the change process. This translates into the leader’s ability “…to achieve the common good of the organization, while at the same time meeting the needs and safeguarding the rights of the various stakeholders” (Bass & Steidlmeier, 1999, p. 200). Within my leadership scope, it is necessary that I carefully consider the impact of the proposed change on the psychological contracts of faculty and staff, as this change entails a change in responsibility and associated accountability for the learning and inclusion of ELLs. Philipp and Lopez (2013) address the importance of employee perceptions of psychological contracts, highlighting that such “…perceptions are associated with their commitment levels, motivation, and behaviors in the workplace” (p. 313). It is essential that I acknowledge that EAL servicing changes can present as a concern for faculty and staff due to changes in responsibilities that may not fall comfortably within their scope of training. Relative to ethical practice, this necessitates that I am transparent in my communication and that I display a commitment to supporting implementation efforts through a comprehensive professional learning plan.
Leadership plays an instrumental role in advancing ethical practices within an organization. According to Talbert-Johnson (2009), it is essential that leaders demonstrate cultural sensitivity and cultural competence. In order to do so, leaders have an ethical obligation to expand their cultural understandings and repertoires, in order to ethically meet the needs of their diverse students. Talbert-Johnson (2009) asserts that there is a lack of preparation on the part of leaders to address diversity in the school setting. An investment in professional learning
for leaders is essential, in order to be able to lead with credibility while operating under ethical convictions. Based on leaders’ moral obligation to cater equitably to all students’ needs, they should equip themselves with the knowledge and skills needed to lead in an informed manner. Miller and Martin (2015) state that principals often fall short of creating “…the conditions for effective instruction, culturally relevant instruction or building the capacity of teachers to engage students in a culturally responsive curriculum” (p. 140). This entails that I am knowledgeable about “…what skills and strategies teachers should employ and be confident in helping teachers become socially just and culturally relevant in their practices” (Miller & Martin, 2015, p. 140). It is my ethical obligation to provide informed leadership during the change process.
Conclusion
Chapter two provided a comprehensive overview of the planning and development needed to achieve the desired state. My Internationally Minded Leadership Model, framed around transformational and inclusive leadership practices, which is grounded in principles of ethical leadership, effectively serves to lead change efforts. My leadership model will guide the implementation of the selected change framework, which is based on a combination of Cawsey, Deszca, and Ingols’ (2016) Change Path Model and Kotter’s Eight-Stage Process (1996, 2012), through increasing commitment to the change vision and empowering faculty and staff during the change process. Based on the critical organizational analysis, significant needs were identified and related solutions were examined, with one combined solution, professional learning about international mindedness and linguistic and cultural inclusion, in combination with professional learning in EAL collaborative partnerships, being chosen to address the PoP. This chapter serves to inform the development of plans for change implementation,
Chapter Three: Implementation, Evaluation and Communication
Chapter three is focused on the implementation, evaluation and communication of the proposed change. A detailed change implementation plan, comprised of four stages, is presented, accompanied by a description of transition management components that are intended to support effective change implementation. Monitoring and evaluation of the change process are addressed with a focus on the utilization of the PDSA cycle. Furthermore, a four phase comprehensive communication plan is described, outlining focal areas, channels of communication, and persons responsible, relative to a communication timeline. The chapter closes with an in-depth
examination of next steps and a future consideration worthy of continued investigation. Change Implementation Plan
Driving my change implementation plan is the goal of improving the learning
experiences of ELLs through inclusive practices. My change implementation plan is aligned to my blended change framework, as outlined in Table 3.1 below, combining Cawsey, Deszca and Ingols’ (2016) Change Path Model and Kotter’s (1996, 2012) Eight-Stage Process. Integral to my change implementation plan is a focus on managing the transition, which involves attending to stakeholders’ reactions, outlining the work of the guiding coalition, identifying supports and resources, considering potential implementation issues, building change momentum through short, mid and long-term goals and critically reflecting on limitations and challenges.
Stages of Change Implementation
My change implementation plan is developed around each of the four stages of my blended change framework, as presented in Table 3.1 below. Stage one combines the ‘Awakening’ stage of the Change Path Model and the first three stages of Kotter’s Eight-